The practices of existential psychotherapists: development and application of an observational grid

ABSTRACT

Within the major therapeutic paradigms, observational instruments have been developed to assess orientation-specific interventions or processes. However, to date, no such instrument exists to assess existential practices. Recent research indicates the key practices of existential therapists, and forms an empirical basis on which to develop an observatory grid. This paper describes the development of such a grid, and its exploratory testing with eight clients of four Portuguese existential psychotherapists. A total of 32 sessions were observed and both speaking turn and whole-session analysis showed that it was feasible to assess existential therapy using the instrument, although psychometric findings recommend further refinement of the tool. Session-rating data suggest that the chief practices applied by existential therapists were relational, followed by the use of hermeneutic interventions and reformulations. Interventions based on phenomenological and existential assumptions were observable in practice but limited in frequency. Further refinements and developments of the observational grid, together with additional research – using a range of therapists from different schools of existential therapy – are recommended.

KEYWORDS:

• Existential therapy
• existential-specific practices
• observational study
• exploratory study
• treatment adherence

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Edgar A. Correia is a PhD student at the Department of Counselling, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK. He is a chartered clinical psychologist and EAP and WCP-registered existential psychotherapist and a founding member of the Sociedade Portuguesa de Psicoterapia Existencial (SPPE).

Vítor Sartóris, MA in a clinical psychology, at ISPA – University Institute, Lisbon. He is particularly interested in psychoanalysis, sport psychology and psychotherapy research.

Tiago Fernandes, MA in a clinical psychology, at ISPA – University Institute, Lisbon. He is particularly interested in existential psychotherapy, psycho-gerontology and psycho-oncology.

Mick Cooper is a Professor of Counselling Psychology at the University of Roehampton, London; and a UKCP-registered existential psychotherapist. Mick is author and editor of a wide range of texts on existential, person-centred and relational approaches to therapy, including Existential Therapies (Sage, 2003) and Pluralistic Counselling and Psychotherapy (Sage, 2011, with John McLeod).

Lucia Berdondini is a Knowledge Exchange Fellow at the Counselling Unit, University of Strathclyde; and a BACP registered Gestalt psychotherapist. She is particularly interested in psychology of disasters and has focused her professional activity on developing counselling training courses in countries in war and post conflict.

Daniel Sousa is a Professor at ISPA – University Institute, Lisbon. He is a chartered clinical psychologist and EAP-registered existential psychotherapist, and a founding member of the Sociedade Portuguesa de Psicoterapia Existencial (SPPE).

Branca Sá Pires is a chartered clinical psychologist and supervisor, and a registered existential psychotherapist and supervisor at the Sociedade Portuguesa de Psicoterapia Existencial (SPPE).

João da Fonseca is a chartered clinical psychologist and a registered existential psychotherapist and supervisor at the SPPE. He is also registered as a focusing-oriented psychotherapist at the TFI-New York and plays its main interest in developing courses and practices that bind existential and experiential views.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT), Ministério da Educação e Ciência, Portugal [grant number SFRH/BD/71484/2010].